Here assembled are the poems collectively known as Quietly Naked in the Pouring Rain, submitted by readers of UDreamOfJanie. The counterpoint between Kristine’s Cheating Wife and Deacon Barry’s winning Murderous Husband in our third poetry contest served as inspiration for the next two contests, the winners of which were Max’s Dying Lover and Deacon Barry’s Witness in the Window.

Together they tell a story, gathered here in one place for your reading pleasure. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we do.

Quietly naked in the pouring rain,
that tree stands like my memory of you
at the edge of a promise spoken anew.
Sky and mist and earth mixed again,
but now mixed with tears and empty hands
No voice answers mine, no thunder even
No questions to ask for no answers given,
where you once kissed me just that tree stands.
Beneath that tree where once we had lain
is a tangle of roots that know dark history
in their wordless winding they bind you to me,
quietly standing in the pouring rain.

Quietly Naked in the Pouring Rain, The Murderous Husband by Deacon Barry –

Quietly, naked in the pouring rain
I’m waiting as you frantically explain
To your angry husband, waving in the air
Those crumpled jeans you sought to hide in vain.

His sharp demands, accusing stare
Your evasions, sobbed despair
How long did this deception last?
This sick, despicable affair?

Your lover’s breaths are faint and fast
And now your time with him is passed.
Your husband screams like one insane
And from his hand his ring is cast.

Your lover knows no more of pain.
His opened throat – a crimson drain.
I clean my blade and watch him die
Quietly naked in the pouring rain.

if i had known this
that i would die — ever cripes
i would drown you first

Quietly Naked in the Pouring Rain, The Witness in the Window by Deacon Barry –

Mr Pazoo, Mr Pazoo,
Sneak to me
Speak to me,
What did you do?

It’s Saturday night.
It’s pouring with rain.
Mummy and Daddy
Are fighting again.
Mummy’s best friend
Is waiting outside.
He hasn’t got clothes on.
He’s trying to hide.
Daddy was out.
They thought I was sleeping.
They kissed and they cuddled.
I know. I was peeping.
Mr Pazoo promptly
Picked up the phone.
In a voice sounding like me, said,
“Daddy! Come home!”

Mr Pazoo, Mr Pazoo,
Sneak to me
Speak to me,
What did you do?

Mr Pazoo
Is my very best friend
He says he’ll be close to me
Right to the end
His fingers are scissors
His eyeballs are red
He lives in a dungeon
Right under my bed
He makes lots of mischief.
He says it’s a game.
Whenever he’s naughty,
I get the blame.
But I know that he loves me
He’ll always be true
He’ll always protect me
Will Mr Pazoo

Mr Pazoo, Mr Pazoo,
Sneak to me
Speak to me,
What did you do?

Mummy and Daddy
Are getting irate
But the man in the garden’s
The person I hate
If he wasn’t here
They wouldn’t get mad
They wouldn’t shout at me
I wouldn’t feel sad
He’ll always protect me
He knows what to do
That man’s got a meeting
With Mr Pazoo
His fingers are scissors
His eyeballs are red
The man has his throat cut
And now he is dead.

Mr Pazoo, Mr Pazoo,
Sneak to me
Speak to me,
WHAT DID YOU DO?

Partially inspired by our little collection, a reader Chiya wrote an unfinished story and with permission, I reproduce it below.

It was starting to get dark out, as Carine and Kyle sat in the field. The others were in the house, because it was supposed to rain, but Carine was content to stay here for a while. Because he never relaxed, she had never before had an interesting, insightful conversation with Kyle.Carine looked up, and Kyle did the same. He could see a star or something.

“See that?” he asked, and she looked up at it, the only bright thing in the sky that wasn’t covered by clouds. “Is that Venus?”

“I think so,” she said softly. There was a pause, a hesitation. Then “You need to relax.”

“Yes,” he said truthfully, and took a breath to try to relax. “I just can’t.”

She reached out and touched his shoulder. “Mind if I give you a massage?” she asked. “Your muscles are really tense.”

“Alright, sure.” he answered. She sat cross-legged behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. His muscles were still tense, but he felt them relax just a little bit.

“What if you were given the option to settle down and stop travelling around. What would you do?” he asked, continuing the conversation. “I think I’d actually keep travelling around and stay with the group. Um, I don’t know. I’m just used to it now.”

“I don’t know,” she answered thoughtfully. “I really don’t know.”

She took her arms off his shoulders for a second. He turned around so he could see her face but it was unreadable. She leaned up against him and he didn’t shrink away. Cautiously he put his arm around her, a little awkwardly at first.

A drop of rain started to fall. They were silent for a moment, and he could feel her heart beating next to his arm. He wasn’t so scared of her proximity to him.

The rain started to fall more steadily, but they didn’t move. Out there in the semi darkness, Kyle relaxed his arm and held her as she leaned against him, he had never been so close to another person before.

The rain started to seep through his jacket (which wasn’t properly waterproof) and drip off his hair into his face. It ran down her hair, her shirt was clinging to her, and her thoughtful face was so beautiful. His heart started to beat a little faster, even though he was sitting still.

They sat there for a little more time, he wanted to say something but couldn’t think of anything. They were motionless, drenched except for where their bodies were pressed together. But they were in two seperate worlds.

Then she turned towards him, moving a little closer, then leaned over and kissed him, almost shyly. A second went by where they stared at each other, and she wondered whether she shouldn’t have done that, whether or not he liked her in that way.

His face didn’t move perceptively but there was some sort of emotion there, something behind the careful expression. Then he moved towards her, and kissed her a little awkwardly.

And as the rain was falling they kissed. He was amazed that this amazing woman was with him and maybe loved him. He could feel the perfect curves of her back through her drenched shirt, and she had her arms around him. He moved his hand, feeling her whole back, and she held him tighter.

When they moved their lips apart, she tentatively took off his jacket and they hugged more, feeling the warmth of each other through their shirts.

“Kyle, do you want to…” she trailed off. His heart skipped a beat as he whispered “okay”.

She peeled off her shirt, feeling so exposed with the rain falling on her. A few seconds later he did the same. They sat there, looking at each other. Where were all the constraints of everything, for twenty years? She unclasped her bra, and they still looked at each other.

“I’ve never, I…” he whispered.

“That’s Okay with me if it’s okay with you,” she said smiling. Her fairly short brown hair was going every which way across her face. He reached over and cautiously ran his fingers through her hair, sort of to indicate it was okay.

Carine reached out and touched him, and they lay down in the field, their bodies pressed up against each other, gravity keeping them together. Eventually she got up and walked a couple steps away. He looked down at the place where she had been. A few moments passed, and then he looked up and she was standing there, beautiful. Maybe not the perfect hourglass shape but more beautiful because she was real.

She lay down next to him, his heart beat against his chest, and they looked into each others eyes. There was an expression that she couldn’t read.

“I can’t do this,” he said suddenly. He forced himself to get up. He walked back to the house. The rain fell on him, his jacket clinging to him, and his sneakers drenched.